Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards: ‘Sometimes I despise Mick Jagger’

Keith Richards and Mick Jagger have spoken about their working relationship, revealing that they are somewhere between brothers and a married couple.

Keith Richards and Mick Jagger have spoken about their working relationship, revealing that they are somewhere between brothers and a married couple.

In a new interview with Esquire, Richards says that he often “despises” his Rolling Stones bandmate but that ultimately he loves him like family. Speaking to the magazine, Richards says: “You’ve got two very volatile guys who’ve been through a whole lot of stuff in their life and still somehow manage. Sometimes I despise the man, others, I love that man so much. It’s like your brother. I never had one, so he’s my brother. That’s the way it is, bless his heart.”

Mick Jagger, meanwhile, seems less keen on the idea of being ‘married’ to Richards, stating: “People say the stupidest things and that’s one of the dumbest because it’s completely different from being married when you work with someone. I work with Keith and I’ve known him for a long time.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Richards shows just what the band means to him, comparing The Rolling Stones to every day essentials such as food and water. “What is there in life? There’s the air you breathe and the food you eat… and then there’s The Rolling Stones. They’ve just been there forever, for them, from their point of view. The world wouldn’t be complete without The Rolling Stones!”

The Rolling Stones played the second of their two London concerts last week with both Eric Clapton and Florence Welch joining them onstage at the O2 Arena.